Underwater Inspections Of Offshore Wind Farms: Deutsche Windtechnik Scores With Cluster Concept
Utrecht, Netherlands / Bremen, Germany - The independent service provider Deutsche Windtechnik has signed contracts to carry out underwater inspections for a total of seven offshore wind farms in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.
Deutsche Windtechnik will carry out the ongoing inspections in the offshore wind farms Trianel Borkum I, DanTysk and Sandbank, Butendiek as well as in three other wind farms in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Depending on the content of the contract, the inspected components include the foundations of the wind turbines, the structure of the substations, the wind measurement masts, the corrosion protection systems and the cables from the entry into the foundation to the ground entry point.
The videos, recommendations and reports produced as part of the analyses provide the wind farm operators with reliable information about the condition of the turbines. They can use this as a basis for targeted and systematic financial decisions. For example, the reports include an assessment of all the data collected for each offshore structure, including an evaluation of any damage and suggestions for reducing consequential damage. The early localisation of damage can thereby minimise downtimes and extend the service life of the wind turbines. "This information can be extremely important when it comes to budgeting decisions because it helps build solid arguments in favour or against an investment," says Niels Noordeloos, Business Development Manager at Deutsche Windtechnik B.V. In addition to the high inspection and documentation quality, according to Deutsche Windtechnik, the bundling of investigations also results in benefits through budget and fuel savings as well as the flexibility of the cluster campaign.
For the investigations, Deutsche Windtechnik is cooperating with its partners Bluestream Offshore and the shipping company OS Energy. "The cooperation enables Deutsche Windtechnik to mobilise a highly efficient vessel with a broad range of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that are equipped with the exact tools we need for the job: high-definition cameras, cleaning tools, ultrasonic and laser measurement systems, and more," says Geert Timmers, Managing Director of Deutsche Windtechnik in the Netherlands.
Source: IWR Online, Aug 08 2022